Book Group – The Great Indoors

American college rock by way of Edinburgh’s backstreet dives shouldn’t work – and, inevitably, almost never does – but there’s a certain something to the capital’s Book Group.

The Great Indoors is the four-piece’s debut long player after a cluster of EPs, and like their earlier numbers, robust, crackling guitars are scattered over its eleven tracks. The opening bars of Season of Screams will feel like a familiar cuddly pal to both Book Group’s first fans and, let’s be honest, anyone who listened to Guided By Voices or Sebadoh in the 90s.

Snarky lyrics are in abundance too. Not many acts could get away with singing about ‘cracking one off just to get to sleep’ (Kick Start) or lamenting the end of a condiment fetish in the aid of life improvement (Mayonnaise) but there’s enough charm to carry through such salty chat. A smart, assured record by a band that may be yet to peak.

Playing Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh on 6 May; The Hug and Pint, Glasgow on 12 May and Beat Generator, Dundee on 21 May
http://bookgroup.bandcamp.com